Sunset Campground Death Valley National Park Death Valley, California
I was tired this morning and cold and I easily could have skipped the walk altogether…but I needed to go and I did. I hiked a short distance toward the Kelso Dunes and when the sand got really soft and deep, I went back to walk on the paved road. I walked about one mile from the RV and it started to spit. I turned around and was surprised to see dense clouds and the rain started to come harder and then it began to snow! Okay people at home…you can laugh at us now. We have desperately been trying to avoid the cold and definitely to avoid the snow…
It was snowing still as we pulled out to the main road…big fat flakes!
We stopped for our breakfast at the Historic Kelso Train Depot. We didn’t get out of the RV…it was chilly.
Further up the road, the clouds became brooding and intimidating.
Above 3,000 feet we began to see Joshua trees and SNOW. It was actually really pretty.
We drove into the small town of Baker. We stopped at the Baker Market for eggs, bread, and milk. Here we fueled the RV with diesel for $4.59 a gallon. The Shell station had a charging center for Teslas. There were four cars plugged in…we are in California!
Baker’s claim to fame is that they have the world’s largest thermometer.
The road from Baker to Death Valley is a scenic route.
We have been to Death Valley before. We have heard from other people that they do not like it here. There is nothing here but sand and rocks they have said. But, we really like it. There are lots of opportunities for hiking and 4WD adventures. We also want to do another tent camping overnight.
Tim spent the afternoon poring over the maps and making plans!
Kelso Dunes Mojave National Preserve Kelso, California
When we got up this morning it was chilly…inside the RV and out. The temperature had plummeted into the upper thirties overnight. Without hookups, we ran the furnace on propane and set it at 64 degrees. We didn’t want to disturb our neighbors more than absolutely necessary by running the generator for an extended time. Tim had the idea to drive for a while and then to stop for my walk and his morning exercise as the day got warmer. This turned out to be a terrific idea. We drove through Joshua Tree Park in the early morning light with few other cars on the road.
Good morning!
We sat up in our perches, watching the world come to us through our picture window. The play of clouds and sunshine was stunning today. We crossed from the Colorado Desert into the Mojave Desert.
We parked at the Twin Tanks Trailhead. I walked for two miles on the Geology Tour Road, a gradual ascent into Queens Valley. Then I turned back to the RV. I really didn’t want to stop. It was peaceful and quiet. I saw ground squirrels, jackrabbits, and other small rodents. These animals are at the very bottom of the desert food chain. I read the other day that packrats can have up to 11 litters of baby packrats each year. This is necessary to keep the larger predators like coyote and bobcats well-fed. The mountain lions don’t come down to the desert floor very often. They prefer larger meals like bighorns and deer that live at higher elevations. Along the trail there was a lot of evidence of very active animal presence. Lots of scat, burrows, rabbit warrens, and holes gouged out of the earth during hunting sprees.
We drove out of the park and toward Amboy. The clouds casting shadows on the mountains and the colors and the light…all so beautiful.
This is our first glimpse of the Amboy Crater with salt flats in the foreground.
This is an extinct volcano that last erupted 10,000 years ago. We parked the RV and took the hike to the rim of the crater. It was cloudy and a little chilly…perfect for this hike. It is apparently very hot here as temperatures soar. The black lava rock holds heat and hiking here can be dangerous…but not today…we even had sprinkles of rain.
It was one mile to the base of the crater. We then had to follow a series of switchbacks to get to the top. I wanted to see the inside of the cone. I wasn’t sure what I expected…the volcano has been dormant for 10,000 years. The inside had fallen in on itself and there was a layer of sand on top. I am still glad we hiked it. We stood inside a volcano today!
We drove through the town of Amboy. This small town…really just a motel and a gas station, sits on the very popular Route 66.
We headed north toward Kelso. The sky continued to put on a show. We even had splats of snow on the windshield.
We entered Mojave National Preserve and found our campsite on Kelso Dunes Road.
We might not have very reliable service for the next few days or week. We will be traveling in the Mojave Desert and Death Valley. We will post when we can!
Cottonwood Springs Campground Joshua Tree National Park Indio, California
I was surprised that I felt strong and ready to walk after yesterday’s big hike. The Indian Waters Campground really was lovely. The landscaping and the amenities are very nice. Too bad that we really didn’t get to enjoy the pool, the pickle ball courts, Taco Tuesdays, and the community fire rings. Maybe another time. This morning, the air smelled like freshly mown grass and orange blossoms…two of my very favorite fragrances!
We traveled for a short distance on 10 to Joshua Tree National Park. From Indio at -20 sea level to the park at 3,079 feet we noticed a big difference, particularly in the temperature! But Joshua trees only grow above 3,000 feet. They actually are not trees at all but a kind of yucca plant. They can grow 40 feet tall at the rate of 1 inch per year. The tallest trees are hundreds of years old. We were able to get a campsite in the National Park but only for tonight.
We parked the RV and found a three-mile moderate hike, the Mastodon Mine Trail.
The rock formations here, huge globular boulders piled on one another, look like they have been haphazardly dumped from trucks.
Our hike took us up to Mastodon Peak. As we climbed in elevation, I noticed a slight shortness of breath due to the altitude. Near the top, there was an optional rock scramble to navigate. I stayed below to take Tim’s picture.
Tim’s view from the top and if you look carefully, you can see me far below!
We passed an old abandoned gold mine.
We climbed down to the wash and out to the Jeep.
We took a very short ride on the Pinkham Canyon Road.
We are guessing that the larger lighter mountains in the distance are the Sierra Nevada Mountains about 180 miles away and with the tallest peak standing at about 14,000 feet.
March 9, 2021 Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon Hike
Indian Waters RV Resort Indio, California Day 2
We didn’t have time this morning for our usual morning routine. We had an adventure planned and we wanted to get an early start. When we were in Atlanta during December, Tim was speaking with our friend Peter about our plans for the winter. Peter told Tim about an awesome hike in the Mecca Hills in Indio, California. And so, today, we found ourselves here and ready to try this challenging hike. It is rated difficult. I went online yesterday to read about it…and the warnings!!! I didn’t want to be scared though…I wanted to be prepared. So, I watched some YouTube videos and I did not see anything that I didn’t think I could do.
I slept fine but got up early. I was starting to feel a little nervous and excited.
We had to drive 5 miles on the sand and gravel road to get to the trailhead.
The opening was big and wide and it was a really pleasant day.
We knew to look for the large stone arrow in the wash. This was the beginning of the trail into Ladder Canyon.
There was a large rock fall, giant boulders to climb around. This was just the beginning!
Yes, this is the trail…
In the middle of the rock slide was a gap…I wasn’t sure that I could cross it. Tim had done it easily and he wanted me to do it the same way. I pushed down my trepidation and figured out my way to get across. I got down on my butt and propped myself against the wall and I made it! First major obstacle conquered!
The really cool thing about this trail is that you have to climb ladders to get up and down into the canyon. The ladders were fairly sturdy and Tim was right there to talk me through. He was a great coach, showing me where to put my feet and how to use toeholds in the rock.
We entered the slot canyon. Here the walking was easy and fun!
We climbed ladders again to get out of the canyon and up to the ridge part of the trail. Here, I really did need help. There was a very large jump to the next level and I could not get up. Tim grabbed my hand and pulled me! We were on our way to the top.
We could see the Salton Sea…we could see snowcapped mountains…we could see the canyons on either side down below. The view was magnificent. I kept trying to take pictures…perfectly inadequate.
Enjoy my video.
The ridge walk was also amazing.
We had a long steep downhill into Painted Canyon. I used my hiking poles and did just fine. We walked in the wash through Painted Canyon. Walking in the deep, loose sand and gravel was hard…but the canyon was incredible. This area is very close to the San Andreas Faultline. I am not entirely certain what forces of nature conspired to create this masterpiece eons ago…it looks like it might have been very violent. Rocks and cliffs and ledges heaved up from the Earth. The torrents of water that carved the canyons are difficult to imagine in this dry and dusty place.
I am not the only one who imagines things…Tim was reminded here of a whale coming up out of the water like we saw in Baja.
And here he was reminded of a dinosaur egg.
The colors of the stone, rose and cream and green and peach and every color in between. The patterns and compositions of the stone…the sunlight bouncing around in the canyon…what a wonderful hike!
Two last ladders to the very bottom and then another mile or so to the Jeep. We walked almost 15,000 steps or 5.6 miles in about 3 ½ hours with a few breaks.
I want to thank Tim…for challenging me and daring me, for always expecting me to push myself to do my best, for encouraging me, and for supporting me…and most of all for hauling me out of that chute!
We had lunch at a campsite on the way back to Indio.
We are happy that we started so early. The wind really picked up. We didn’t want to be up on that ridge in a stiff wind. In the valley on our way out, the dust was blowing so much that we couldn’t see the mountains.
We are very glad that we listened to Peter and came here to do this hike.
My last morning walk in Borrego Springs. It was lovely and warm. We have really enjoyed being here for this extended time. We even talked about staying longer, but we decided it was time to move on. We will definitely come back someday.
We left and traveled east. We found a place along the road for our breakfast. The view was beautiful.
At the end of the road, we turned left at the Salton Sea.
As we approached Mecca, there were date groves and citrus orchards. The air was heavy with the fragrance of lemons and oranges.
We knew that there was dispersed camping along Box Canyon Road. Tim had looked at it on Google Earth and he was fairly certain that the area along the pavement was sand. Soft, deep sand is not such a good place to drive the RV. The shoulder was indeed very soft and we decided not to try to camp, but it was a great ride.
We ended up taking Route 10 into Indio. In these pictures we can see snow capped mountains, palm trees and desert.
Our first goal was to get supplies. There was a Walmart Supercenter that met our needs. I walked more than a mile in the store gathering groceries and other odds and ends…one stop shopping…which is important to me right now!
We found a campground in Indio. We are not far from Palm Springs and so we were surprised (but shouldn’t have been) at the cost of campsites! On the upside, we did get diesel fuel for $3.99 a gallon…that’s a California bargain!
Indian Waters is a very nice resort. We spent the afternoon enjoying the warm breeze. Did you know that wind moving through palm trees sounds way different than wind moving through trees at home?
March 7, 2021 This Is the Place To Be…Right Here, Right Now
Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 10
By now, a familiar walk through the State Park.
We are moving north tomorrow. We spent some time today getting ready…groceries, laundry, water, and chores.
We took another ten-mile bike ride. It is so pretty and such a nice ride. Nice and flat and NO wind today.
When we got back to Christmas Circle, there was a guy playing acoustic guitar and singing in the community park. We sat for a while, enjoying the gorgeous weather and the music. Songs by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and other old-timers. As the musician said, “This is the place to be…right here, right now!”
We got Mexican carryout for dinner.
We missed most of the sunset. Clouds make for beautiful evening skies.
Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 9
I had not yet walked into town for my morning walk.
We packed some lunch and went for a ride. We actually spent most of the day on pavement.
We started out on S-22, up and out of Borrego Springs.
It was a pretty Saturday in southern California and it seemed like everyone was out! Every trailhead was crammed full of cars.
The town is at 600 feet of elevation. These bikers were on their way to Ranchita at 4,000 feet of elevation. I cannot even imagine the strength and stamina required to make it the 15 miles up this mountain.
And the Jeeps, we passed more than 100 Jeeps of every sort. Just when I think that I have seen every possible accessory…I am surprised by something new. We even saw a longhorn skeleton today, strapped to the grill of a Jeep. The Jeep trails in this area were busy today!
We chose to take a scenic drive. We passed Ranchita and we were in Montezuma Valley. Here we saw great pine trees and lush, green fields. It was rather refreshing to see, after being in the desert for the past 7 weeks.
We passed through two really lovely little towns, Santa Ysabel and Julian. There were shops, restaurants, breweries, and cideries. It was so tempting to stop and walk along the streets. It was crowded and though about 2/3 of people were wearing masks…1/3 were not. We need to keep being smart and careful. If we stay healthy, we can always come back another time!
We stopped at Desert View Park. Standing on the top of the mountain we could see miles, the whole valley below us.
Traveling on we found Cuyamaca Lake. We ate our lunch here, watching an eagle, cormorants, Canadian geese and white pelicans.
The caracara blood navel oranges that we bought yesterday were tart, juicy, and delicious!
There was snow on this mountaintop…that is more than enough winter for us…thanks! The forecast is for snow in Julian later in the week. The higher elevations really do make a difference in terms of temperature. Borrego Springs was 75 degrees when we left around 10. In Julian, it was 59 degrees. We also saw this week how the mountains stop the moisture and rain from coming onto the desert side. The rapid change from cactus and dust to green fields and trees was astonishing. I know…it’s science…but it was still remarkable to see the differences in such a short distance.
We drove the Banner Grade all the way back down to the desert.
We did take one dirt road. We drove into Lizard Canyon. We took the trail until it became too narrow. We got out and hiked to the end.
Yes, this is the trail!
When we got back, we debated staying overnight there. We had enough food and water and we had our sleeping bags, but we were not really prepared. If the forecast would have been warmer at night, I think we might have tried to make it work. We went back to the RV. We need to think about how we can be better prepared so that if we spontaneously find a place we like…we can just pop the top and sleep under the stars!
Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 6
We passed a pleasant night in our tent. Every time that we were awake, we could hear the soothing sounds of the owls in the canyon. We were warm and cozy and I slept better than I had yet in our sky camp.
We had a small problem with a faulty propane tank on our burner. We were just able to finish getting dinner cooked last night when the first cylinder ran out. We tried to replace it with a backup but we were not able to make it work. Tim had to improvise a way to make coffee over an open fire this morning. We enjoyed our breakfast and then headed back to town.
The farmers market is on Friday and we didn’t want to miss it. We got more tamales from the tamale lady and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. The blood oranges we got last week were so amazing that we definitely wanted more and those tiny yellow cherry tomatoes…
We took a ten-mile bike ride this afternoon. We saw more desert sculptures or as I affectionately nicknamed them…more rust in the dust! The tortoises are some of my favorites.
We had a quiet afternoon and then ordered carryout again from The Red Ocotillo. We each got exactly the same dinner that we ordered earlier in the week…we enjoyed it that much!
Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 7
I took a walk through the State Park again this morning. No critter sightings today…maybe because I was talking on the phone with Mom and then with a good friend.
Tim took a bike ride while I got food ready for our overnight trip. We packed the Jeep with pillows and blankets and coolers and off we went! We went back to the trail with the severe drop-off. We easily made it down the chute and into the bottom of the Borrego Badlands. We had picked out two potential camping spots. We stopped at the first canyon and took a good hike up the tidy bowl slide and into a long wash. The climb was a bit of a challenge but I figured it out and was proud of myself for getting up there!
We decided to drive further and get a camping spot in Hawk Canyon. When we got there, it was full! There were two large groups of campers…right where we wanted to be. It was almost 3pm. We were debating going back to the first place…what to do!?! We backtracked for a short distance and found the perfect spot about 100 feet from the main trail.
We made our dinner, enjoyed wine, music, and a fire.
It was so quiet. An owl or two called from the cliffs from across the road, the hooting reverberating pleasantly across the wash.
Staying here was a great decision. The moon did not rise until late. The sky was very dark. The area was very open and when the stars came out it was…WOW!! A stunning stargazing night.
